Basement Flooring
Basement Flooring
Basement
flooring – what floor works best?
Choosing appropriate flooring is difficult enough without the problems that
come with finding floors for a basement complicating things even further.
The biggest issue in almost any basement is, of course, unwanted moisture.
Moisture seeps in from below through the concrete and has the power to
weaken the bond of the adhesive used for floors or tiles, to make hardwood
floors buckle and warp and to make carpets acquire that elusive basement
smell caused by mold growing below the soft veneer.
Before you go dreaming up designs and making plans for your basement, check
to make sure that your floor is suitable for such installations. Take a
sheet of impermeable material that is about 3’x3’ big, like a trash bag, for
example, and lay it flat on the basement floor, sealing it with tape on all
four sides to make sure that no air gets in. Do this in a couple corners and
areas by walls as well as in the center of the room. Leave it there for at
least a full 24 hours and then check under the bags to see if moisture has
accumulated.
If it is damp under the bag, then you have a moisture problem that needs to
be resolved before you proceed. Depending on the source and extent of
moisture, there are solutions that range from the simple to the annoying.
This is a whole separate beast covered in other articles.
So, let’s pretend like in this particular Choose Your Own Adventure novel
you turned to the page that cheerily informed you that your basement is dry.
Now you can begin to think of your different flooring options.
The main floor coverings available are carpet, hardwood floor, engineered
hardwood floor, laminate floor, ceramic and porcelain tile and cement.
In general, carpeting, hardwood floor and laminate floor are not recommended
for basements. Variations in humidity, which are common in basements, warp
hardwood and laminate floors and encourage mold growth in carpets. Even
basements that are treated for moisture related problems can have seasonal
trouble with moisture or during excessive rain. Exceptional events can have
long-term effects that will leave the floor warped or ruined. If you insist
on installing one of the above floors in your basement, take some
precautions, like the installation of a vapor guard under the floor. A
durable and high density polyethylene sheet with 3/8" tall dimples creates
air space between the flooring and the cement slab, trapping any moisture
and preventing it from traveling up to the surface of your newly installed
floor.
Engineered floor is an excellent alternative to hardwood floor in the
basement. Engineered floor is flooring constructed from three to five layers
of different hardwood materials with either a hardwood or high density
fiberboard core. Because of the layered construction, engineered floor has a
higher resiliency to humidity changes that keeps it looking good even in
finicky basements. Additionally, engineered floors are thinner, so you can
add extra insulation and they have a real hardwood floor layer at the
surface, so you can pick the look you want just as you would when sifting
through solid hardwood floor.
Another option is laminate floor. Laminate floors are composed of a moisture
resistant wood based core, a backing, and a resin based melamine or aluminum
oxide decorative surface with a clear layer of aluminum oxide, like a finish
on traditional hardwood floors, which strengthens the surface and protects
against staining and scratching. Laminate floors are floating floors,
meaning they are not attached directly to the sub floor, which makes
installation directly on the concrete or putting a vapor guard down easier.
Most laminates should be fine to use in basements but when looking at
laminate check to make sure the manufacturer does not advise against it, as
is the case with certain laminates. Make sure you do the moisture tests,
because when laminates do buckle they are difficult to fix.
If you’ve determined that your basement is sufficiently dry and moisture
tests have shown the floor to be consistently dry, you may also want to
consider ceramic or porcelain tile. The tiles can be installed directly on
the cement floor, a durable and good sub floor for tiling (or as a
precaution, try installing 2 by 4 inch sleepers, cover with plastic and put
in plywood to be used as the sub floor). Check for cracks, which are bad in
general and should be fixed before any basement remodeling project ensues,
but especially for ceramic tile, as cracks in the cement will actually
fracture the tiles at the surface.
Finally, the easiest alternative to more traditional flooring options is
painting or staining the cement sub floor that is present in most basements.
You have a lot of flexibility with color schemes and any problems that may
develop in the floor will remain visible, instead of festering under layers
of padding and floors. It is easy to insulate the cold cement floor with a
thick throw rug.
No matter which route you choose for your basement floor, below ground
installations require that you be especially meticulous in preparing the sub
floor for installation and making sure that the space as a whole is suitable
for your uses. Get a professional to check your basement’s usability and to
recommend a course of action for making it usable if it doesn’t seem to be
at first. It may be worth the extra investment, as it would be a shame if
your newly renovated basement began to creak, buckle and smell from the mold
right after you finished it.
Home Improvement Remodelers tips
Basement Remodeling NJ Kitchens Remodeling Bathroom Remodeling
Updated April 01 , 2008 , 8:43:00 AM.
Welcome to the exciting world of Residential Remodelers. LLC
Email:newjerseyremodelers@gmail.com
Long Valley, NJ 07853 Please contact us Tel: 1-877-388-7360
with any questions